Kobasew’s Late Goal Lifts Avalanche Past Stars 4-3

DENVER (AP) — Chuck Kobasew’s goal with 3:29 left in the third period rallied the Colorado Avalanche past the Dallas Stars 4-3 on Wednesday night.

Mark Olver had a goal and two assists and Ryan O’Reilly and Gabriel Landeskog also had goals for the Avalanche, who stopped a four-game skid.

The Avalanche got the winner when Matt Hunwick’s shot from the boards hit Dallas defenseman Stephane Robidas in the face and dropped to the ice. Kobasew quickly knocked it in with a backhand to stop Colorado’s four-game skid.

Jaromir Jagr scored a goal and had two assists, and Trevor Daley and Ray Whitney also scored for the Stars.

Jagr played his first 19 NHL seasons in the Eastern Conference before joining the Stars this season. Facing the Avalanche might have been a reason he came West: Jagr has more points (46) against Colorado than any other Western Conference team, and he continued that success Wednesday.

His goal in the first period, his 11th, made it 1-0. He then assisted on Daley’s third goal of the season four minutes later.

It was a typical slow start or the Avalanche, who have dropped five straight. Colorado has been outscored 34-19 in the first period this season, which has contributed to being in last place in the Western Conference.

The Avalanche fought back in the second to tie it. Olver scored on a rebound off the backboards midway through the period and Landeskog scored a short-handed goal at 13:30, his second in as many games.

Dallas got the lead right back when Whitney took a pass from Jagr, skated past the front of the net and scored on a backhand 2:26 later to make it 3-2.

The Avalanche pressed for the equalizer and finally got it at 6:20 of the third when O’Reilly came down the left side, stumbled before gathering himself to beat Lehtonen on the short side.

NOTES: One of Jagr’s three five-point games came against Colorado. … Forwards Jamie McGinn and David Jones were healthy scratches for the Avalanche. McGinn has one point and Jones has none in the last nine games. … Colorado recalled defenseman Stefan Elliot from Lake Erie of the AHL on Tuesday and placed defenseman Ryan Wilson (ankle) on the injured list, retroactive to March 14. … Landeskog played in his 100th career game.